Latch and device containing same

ABSTRACT

THE LATCH IS COMPRISED OF FIRST AND SECOND LATCH MEMBERS JUXTAPOSED TO ONE ANOTHER. THE FIRST LATCH MEMBER HAS A HOLE AND A NOTCH FOR RECEIVING FLEXIBLE MEMBER CONNECTED THERETO. THE SECOND LATCH MEMBER HAS A SLOT ALIGNED WITH THE NOTCH AND THROUGH WHICH THE FLEXIBLE MEMBER MAY EXTEND SO AS TO BE IN AN OPERATIVE DISPOSITION. A RETAINER ON THE FLEXIBLE MEMBER CONTACTS THE   SECOND LATCH MEMBER IN THE OPERATIVE DISPOSITION OF THE FLEXIBLE MEMBER. THE LATCH MEMBER MAY BE UTILIZED IN A VARIETY OF DEVICES INCLUDING TOYS.

Oct. 12, 1971 D. H. SHOLL LATCH AND DEVICE CONTAINING SAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 8, 1970 F/GJ L w m5 H V M N 0 D ATTORNE Y5 oct. 12, 1971 D. H. SHOLL 3,611,512

' LATCH AND DEVICE CONTAINING SAME Filed June .8; 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet a INVENTOI? DONAL D H. SHOL L ATTORNEYS I United States Patent 3,611,512 LATCH AND DEVICE CONTAINING SAME Donald H. Sholl, Munn Lane, Cherry Hill, NJ. 08034 Filed June 8, 1970, Ser. No. 44,495 Int. Cl. A44b 17/00 U.S. Cl. 24201 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The latch is comprised of first and second latch members juxtaposed to one another. The first latch member has a hole and a notch for receiving a flexible member connected thereto. The second latch member has a slot aligned with the notch and through which the flexible member may extend so as to be in an operative disposition. A retainer on the flexible member contacts the second latch member in the operative disposition of the flexible member. The latch member may be utilized in a variety of devices including toys.

This invention relates to a latch and a device containing the same. The latch is constructed in a manner which is simple and utilizes a minimum number of parts while being reliable and inexpensive. The latch comprises first and second latch members juxtaposed to one another having a mating face. A flexible member is connected to one of the latch members and extends through a hole therein. At the mating face, said one latch member is provided with a notch adapted to receive the flexible member. The other latch member is provided with a slot aligned with the notch so that the flexible member may extend therethrough. A retainer is connected to the free end of the flexible member.

In an operative disposition of the latch, the flexible member is generally perpendicular to the mating faces of the latch members. In an inoperative disposition of the latch, the flexible member is generally parallel to the mating face and disposed in said notch. Manipulation of the flexible member from its operative and inoperative dispositions is attained by means of the retainer.

The latch of the present invention is particularly adapted for use with toys to be disassembled, gates, temporary restraining Walls, etc. The latch members may be made of wood, plastic, metal, etc. The flexible member may be rope, cable, etc. The latch is simple, inexpensive, and involves a minimum number of parts and may be used reliably to prevent the separation of the latch members except when desired. The latch will be effective in all angular dispositions of the latch members.

While the latch is in an operative disposition, the latch members are prevented from rotating relative to one another by means of one or more projections on one latch member extending into a mating recess or recesses on the other latch member. The projections may be cylindrical, semi-spherical, or rectangular. In each case, the mating recess is provided on the other latch member.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel latch.

It is another object of the invention to 'provide a latch which is simple, inexpensive, reliable and utilizes a minimum number of parts.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a latch which can be constructed without the use of special tools while using readily available materials such as wood and rope.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a separable device interconnected by the latch of the present invention.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and instrumentalities shown.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device utilizing the latch of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an exploded partial perspective view of the latch member shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to 'FIG. 4, but illustrating another embodiment of the latch of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but illustrating another embodiment of the latch of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but illustrating another embodiment of the latch of the present invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIG. 1 a device designated generally as 10 and containing the latch of the present invention. The device 10, as illustrated, is a playground amusement device having separable sections releasably interconnected by the latch of the present invention as will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

The latch of the present invention is designated generally as 12. As shown more clearly in FIG. 2, the latch 12 includes latch members 14 and 16 juxtaposed to one another with their respective mating faces 18 and 19 in intimate contact. At a central location, latch member 16 is provided with a notch 20 coextensive with the mating face '19 and generally parallel thereto. Notch 20 is intersected at its lowermost end by a hole 22. A flexible member 24 has one end secured to latch member 16 in any convenient manner. As illustrated, this securement is attained by the flexible member 24 extending through washer 26 and then tied into a knot 28.

Opposite the notch 20, the latch member 14 is provided with a slot 30. The lower end of slot 30 is aligned with the hole 22. In the operative disposition of the latch, the flexible member 24 extends through the hole 22 and notch 30 so as to be generally perpendicular to the mating faces 18 and 19. In an inoperative disposition, the flexible member 24 is disposed in hole 22 and notch 20'.

In order to manipulate the flexible member 24, a retainer 32 is fixedly secured thereto in any convenient manner such as by a knot, adhesive, or by means of a nail as indicated in phantom in FIG. 3. As illustrated, the retainer 32 is spherical with a small flat through which the flexible member 24 enters the retainer 32. The small flat on retainer 32 is in contact 32 with the side face of member 14 as shown more clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The left hand end of latch member 14 is provided with a curved surface 34 as shown more clearly in FIG. 2. The ends of curved surface 34 are equidistant from and closer to the theoretical axis or center designated X. The axis X lies at the intersection of hole 22 and slot 20. The central portion of curved surface 34 is spaced further from the axis X than the ends of the curved surface 34 as will be apparent from the phantom line in FIG. 2 whereby the retainer 32 must pass over the dead center point indicated by the Position of the leadline for element 34 in FIG. 2. In this manner, the latch will not become self-disengaged if the latch members 14 and 16 are disposed upside-down.

Means are provided so that the latch members 14 and 16 may not rotate relative to one another about the axis of member24. Such means are shown more clearly in FIG. 4 and comprise projections 36 and 38 on latch member 16. These projections are disposed on opposite sides of the notch 20. Latch member 14 is provided with a recess 40 adapted to receive projection 36 and recess 42 adapted to receive projection 38.

In FIG. 5, there is illustrated another embodiment of the latch of the present invention which is identical with that described above except as will be made clear hereinafter. The latch 44 has only a single projection 36 on one latch member and which is adapted to be received within the recess 48 on the other latch member. As will be apparent from FIG. 5, the projection 46 is below the elevation of the slot and notch on the latch members. Also, it will be noted that the retainer on the flexible member is cylindrical rather than being spherical. Otherwise, latch 44 is identical with latch 12.

In FIG. 6, there is illustrated another embodiment of the latch of the present invention which is identical with latch 12 except as will be made clear hereinafter. In FIG. 6, one member of the latch 50 is provided with semi-spherical projections 52 and 54. The other latch member is provided with a semi-spherical recess 56 adapted to receive projection 54 and a semi-spherical recess 58 adapted to receive projection 52. The retainer on the flexible member is in the form of a cube rather than a sphere. Otherwise, latch 52 is identical with latch 12.

In FIG. 7, there is illustrated another embodiment of the latch of the present invention. The latch 60 is identical with latch 12 except as will be made clear hereinafter. In latch 60, one latch member is provided with a pair of projections 62 and 64 on opposite sides of the notch. The other latch member is provided with a pair of recesses 68 adapted to receive the projections '66 and a pair of recesses 64 adapted to receive the projections 62. The projections 62 and 66 are on opposite sides of a center line passing through the axis of hole 22. Otherwise, the latch 60 is identical with latch 12.

The latch members 14 and 16 may be made from any convenient material but are preferably made from inexpensive readily available materials such as wood or plastic. No special tooling is needed to drill, slot or notch the latch members. The flexible member 24 may be rope or cord. Preferably the intersection of notch and hole 22 is rounded as indicated in FIG. 2.

In order that the retainers may pass over the deadcenter point of curved surface 34, the flexible member 24 is preferably capable of a small amount of deformation or stretching attainable by being in the form of nylon rope. Alternatively, the retainers may be made from a deformable material such as wood, plastic, rubber, etc.

In FIG. 1, the device 10 is comprised of separable curved sections 70, 72 and 74. Section 74 is semi-circular and the other sections are quadrants. The joints 76, 78 and 80 between the separable sections can utilize any of the latches described above. For purposes of illustration, the joints such as joint 80 are formed with the latch 12.

Since the sections 70 and 72 are identical, only section 72 will be described in detail. Section 72 includes side rims 82 connected to a wall or support member 84. The lower edge of support 84 is connected to the latch member 14 in any convenient manner such as by nails, screws, adhesives, etc.

Section 74 is provided with a pair of rims 86 connected to a curved wall or support 88. The latch member 16 is connected to the upper edge of support 88 in any convenient manner such as by nails, screws, adhesives, andthe like.

The section 74 may be provided with seats 90 and 92 with a pair of rails 94 extending between side walls 96 and 100. One of the side walls, such as side wall 96 may be provided with a gate or door 98. The manner in which children may be amused while playing with the device 10 is considered to be apparent and a detailed description of the same is not considered necessary.

It will thus be seen that the structure of the present invention attains the objects described above.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A latch comprising first and second latch members juxtaposed with mating faces, said first latch member having a hole intersecting a notch on said first latch member, said notch being coextensive with and parallel to the plane of the mating face on said first latch member, said second latch member having a slot opposite said notch, the depth of said slot corresponding to the height of said notch, a flexible member connected to said first latch member and extending through said hole, a retainer coupled to said flexible member at a location spaced from said hole by a distance corresponding generally to the thickness of said second latch member at the location of said slot, said retainer and flexible member being movable from an operative position wherein the flexible member is disposed in said hole and slot to an inoperative position wherein said flexible member is received in said hole and notch.

2. A latch in accordance with claim 1 including means on one of said latch members for releasable cooperation with the other latch member to prevent said latch members from rotating relative to each other while the flexible member is in its operative position.

3. A latch in accordance with claim 2 wherein said means includes a projection on said first latch member, said second latch member having a recess receiving said projection.

4. A latch in accordance with claim 2 wherein said means includes a pair of projections on one of said latch members received within mating recesses on the other latch member, said projections being on opposite sides of a plane disposed perpendicular to the mating faces and passing through the notch.

5. A latch in accordance with claim 1 wherein said second latch member is provided with a curved surface along which the retainer may be manipulated when the flexible member moves from its operative to inoperative disposition, said curved surface having its central portion spaced further from an imaginary axis than the corresponding distance from said axis to the ends of the curved surface, said imaginary axis lying at the intersection of said notch and hole.

6. A latch in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first latch member is connected to a first support and said second latch member being connected to a second support, said latch members retaining said first and second supports in juxtaposed relation when the flexible member is in its operative disposition.

7. A latch in accordance with claim '6 wherein said first and second supports are curved members.

8. A toy having first and second separable sections coupled together by a latch, said latch comprising first and second latch members juxtaposed with mating faces, each latch member being secured to one of said sections, said first latch member having a hole intersecting a notch thereon and along the mating face thereof, said second latch member having a slot opposite said notch, a flexible member connected to said first latch member and extending through the hole, a retainer coupled to said flexible member and engaging said second latch member, said retainer and flexible member being movable from an operative position wherein the flexible member is disposed in said hole and slot to an inoperative position wherein said flerible membber is receiveg in said hcle aglld Ref Ci notc an 'sai retainer eing secure to said exi e member at a location spaced from the mating faces by UNITED STATES PATENTS a distance corresponding to the thickness of said second 218,090 7/ 7 Underwood 292-d1gest 16 member. 5 ,08 ,979 4/ 196 3 Boyd 2721 R 9. A toy in accordance with claim 1 including means on one of said latch members received within recess BERNARD GELAK Pnmary Examlner means on the other latch member to prevent the latch members from rotating relative to each other on an axis corresponding to the axis of said hole. 10 52 5 82; 2922 

